New Delhi, July 8:
The Congress on Tuesday accused the BJP-RSS of “whitewashing” the theft of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya in order to protect the “real culprits” and demanded that details of all offerings be made public as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi break his “silence” on this issue.
The opposition party also alleged that the SIT of Uttar Pradesh government has been formed to “protect” bigwigs in the alleged embezzlement of donations and no one will believe in its report unless an independent Supreme Court-monitored investigation is carried out.
Senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot demanded that the prime minister breaks his silence on the issue and the Ram temple trust be dissolved and a fresh one with religious leaders be formed.
He also claimed that the true “chaal, charitra aur chehra” (conduct, character and face) of the BJP, RSS and VHP now stand exposed.
Gehlot accused the BJP-RSS of having “captured” the administration of the temple in an “unauthorised manner”.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the “theft” of donations is a “grave betrayal of the faith” of crores of people of the country.
Reiterating the demands of the Congress, he said the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust be immediately dissolved and a new trust be formed including Shankaracharyas, Dharmacharyas, saints, and religious representatives.